Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1887-02-24
FROM MT. IDAHO.
Mt. Idaho, l. T. Feb. IS. 1887.

~. >"o '"ss e"e"'y J0"'9 """ "o''nS VIZ
grasping disposition of our Southern
neighbors, / cannot refrain longer from
giving to the public my views on that
subject.
Idaho county, proper as ii was original
ly organized, extended south to Swan
creek, including all Of the territory kLown
as Crane creek, Upper Weiser, Indian
valley, Council valley, the Upper Payctt
valley, Little Salmon and Squaw valley,
compromising an. immense body of the
finest agricultural land in Idaho Terri.
tory. As soon as the Weiser, Indian
valley and Council valley became settled
the commissioners Of Idaho county ap.
pointed justices of the peace, constables
and our sheriff appointed deputies in that
part Of the county; our assessor went
and assessed the property and poll taxes
the same as in other parts Of the county.
The taxes SO levied in that part Of the
county became delinquent and no part of
the same were paid for two years except
about thirty dollars by two or three in
dividuals. The district attorney brought
suit for the collections of said taxes AMI
Judgements were obtained which cost
Idaho county large sum Of money
including attorney fees, sheriff fees and
court fees which amounts were chargeable
to Idaho county and paid out of her
treasury and the judgements stood un
paid in favor OF Idaho county against
said delinquents for said taxes with costs
and before executions were issued and
collections enforced, the honorable legis-
lative assembly Of Idaho met and through
the engineering Of u few energetic iu-
dividuals, by swapping votes on various
steals, passed a bill introduced dy Tom
Catalan, o representative of Ada county,
taking from Idaho all of that immence
body of our best soil except the Little
Salmon and gave it to Ada, which carried
with it all the taxes levied, judgments
and claims belonging to Idaho county
and never gave us one dollar in consider.
alton Of said slice, taxes judgments, &c.
We used every means within our power
to hold to it, but, with the whole
South against US, it slipped from our
grasp leaving us with about twenty
dollars debt to sooth our sorrow
A few years later the same kind of a
dose was administered by taking from US
The Lemhi basin, which had proven rich
gold and silver, leaving US the debt with
'ut a dollar in exchange. Still later
Washington county was organized taking
he whole Of the Little Salmon valley
Without any compensation to Us what.
ver. And now a continuation of that 2
lear love and affection from the dear !
south tor us they stand in with Custer G
county for another steal by taking large /
mineral belt in the Saw-Tooth range, ,
where recent developments show some Of
he richest mines in Idaho; but thank
iod we have an honest governor once
gho has come to our rescue and thereby J
tayed that wholesale robbery, at least .
or time. o
Our members notwithstanding the con. b
lnued abuse, voted to the South eighty o
dollars for the capital building c
t Boise City and twenty thousand more
the territory's money for an insane :,
sylum at Blackfoot, and other smaller ),
ANS at various and numerous times, :,
ut when we ask little aid of a few !
lousand to aid in constructing a bridge =
yer one Of our navigable streams or
University. No! not dollar can we
ave. We will take what we want, but tt
rat Insignificant little panhandle in the y
'orth can have nothing. That veto has |.
one more to immortalize Governor o,
tevcnson's name in the North, elsewhere CT
nong honest men, than all other acts of
is life. There are some good warm .,
carts in our peiyhbors South that =,
ould scorn such robbery and oppression, t,
ut few Of them ever grace the halls Of
lr corrupt legislatures. In the future
e ask you to treat us honestly, neigh o.
'rly and fairly and we will extend to "
~ the right hand Of fellowship and
rgive the wrongs Of tho past and there
i'll be less advocates for secession. =
Yours, TAX PAYER. O,